Raceway IDC connector

Abstract

A dual-sided IDC connector for use in connecting electrical components to field wiring is described. One side of the IDC connector may be factory-wired to an electrical component. A second side of the IDC connector may be field-wired in an end-wiring or a through-wiring configuration. The second side of the IDC connector may have multiple covers to minimize the effort required by a field technician to terminate the field-wiring. The IDC connector may be easily mounted to existing raceways, outlet strips, and junction boxes.

1. An insulation displacement contact connector, comprising:
 a first housing having a plurality of areas for receiving a plurality of wires, 
 a cover for covering an open area of the first housing, 
 a second housing having a plurality of areas for receiving a second plurality of wires, 
 at least one cover for covering at least one open area of the second housing, 
 a plurality of insulation displacement contacts located between the first and second housing, wherein a portion of each insulation displacement contact protrudes into each of the first and second housings, 
 wherein the first housing is coupled to the second housing, 
 wherein the number of areas for receiving the first plurality of wires is equal to the number of areas for receiving the second plurality of wires, 
 wherein the first housing comprises at least one factory-installed wire, and 
 wherein the size of the first and second housings are chosen so that the insulation displacement contact connector is securely retained when inserted into a standard electrical raceway. 
 
   
   
     2. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , wherein the insulation displacement contacts are staggered. 
   
   
     3. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a first side of the first housing has apertures for receiving a plurality of wires, 
 wherein a second side wall of the first housing is solid, and 
 wherein the first side of the first housing is opposite the second side of the first housing. 
 
   
   
     4. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing is coupled to the second housing by at least one retaining clip. 
   
   
     5. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , wherein the cover for covering an open area of the first housing is coupled to the first housing by ultrasonic welding. 
   
   
     6. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , wherein the cover for covering an open area of the first housing is coupled to the first housing by an adhesive. 
   
   
     7. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of covers for covering at least one open area of the second housing. 
   
   
     8. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of covers for covering at least one open area of the second housing are attached to the second housing by a flexible plastic hinge. 
   
   
     9. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing asserts a downward force on a wire when the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing is coupled to the second housing, and wherein the downward force causes the insulation displacement contact to pierce an insulation of the wire and make electrical contact with a conductor of the wire. 
   
   
     10. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing comprises a plurality of covers, and wherein the number of covers is equal to the number of areas for receiving wires. 
   
   
     11. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tabs located in apertures located on a second side of the second housing, 
 wherein the tabs at least partially close at least one of the apertures located on the second side of the second housing, 
 wherein a first side of the second housing has apertures for receiving the second plurality of wires, 
 wherein the second side of the second housing has apertures for receiving the second plurality of wires, and 
 wherein the first side of the second housing is opposite the second side of the second housing. 
 
   
   
     12. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the tabs are composed of plastic, and 
 wherein the tabs are crushed by the plurality of wires located in the apertures located on a second side of the second housing when the at least one cover of the second housing is coupled to the second housing. 
 
   
   
     13. The insulation displacement contact connector of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the tabs are composed of plastic, and 
 wherein the tabs are perforated to reduce the effort required from the field technician to remove the tabs. 
 
   
   
     14. A method for connecting a plurality of wires, comprising:
 laying a plurality of wires in a first housing having a plurality of areas for receiving a first plurality of wires, 
 wherein laying a plurality of wires in the first housing comprises laying the plurality of wires in a factory, 
 placing a plurality of insulation displacement contacts between the first housing and a second housing, wherein a portion of each insulation displacement contact protrudes into each of the first and second housings, 
 coupling the first housing to a second housing, 
 wherein the second housing has a plurality of areas for receiving a second plurality of wires, and 
 wherein the number of areas for receiving the first plurality of wires is equal to the number of areas for receiving the second plurality of wires, and 
 coupling a cover for covering an open area of the first housing to the first housing to cause the plurality of insulation displacement contacts to pierce the insulation of the first plurality of wires and to make electrical contact with conductors of the first plurality of wires, 
 selecting the size of the first and second housings so that the insulation displacement contact connector is securely retained when inserted into a standard electrical raceway. 
 
   
   
     15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the insulation displacement contacts are staggered in relation to a side of the first or second housings. 
   
   
     16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 laying the second plurality of wires into the plurality of areas for receiving the second plurality of wires, 
 wherein a field technician lays the second plurality of wires, 
 coupling at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing to the second housing, 
 wherein coupling the at least one cover causes the plurality of insulation displacement contacts to pierce the insulation of the second plurality of wires and to make electrical contact with conductors of the second plurality of wires, and 
 wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing is coupled to the second housing with a retention clip. 
 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising crushing tabs located in apertures located on a second side of the second housing with the plurality of wires by applying pressure to the at least one cover of the second housing, wherein the tabs at least partially cover the apertures. 
   
   
     18. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing to the second housing comprises a plurality of covers, and
 wherein the number of covers is equal to the number of the second plurality of wires. 
 
   
   
     19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of covers are coupled to the second housing by a field technician. 
   
   
     20. An insulation displacement contact connector, comprising:
 a first housing having a plurality of areas for receiving a first plurality of wires, 
 wherein the first housing comprises at least one factory-installed wire, 
 a cover for covering an open area of the first housing, 
 a second housing having a plurality of areas for receiving a second plurality of wires, 
 at least one cover for covering at least one open area of the second housing, 
 wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing comprises a plurality of covers, 
 wherein the number of covers is equal to the number of areas for receiving the second plurality of wires, and 
 wherein the at least one cover for covering an open area of the second housing is coupled to the second housing by at least one retaining clip, 
 a plurality of insulation displacement contacts located between the first and second housing, wherein a portion of each insulation displacement contact protrudes into each of the first and second housings, 
 a plurality of tabs located in a plurality of apertures for receiving the second plurality of wires, 
 wherein the tabs are composed of plastic, 
 wherein a thickness of the tabs is chosen so that the tabs may be crushed by the second plurality of wires located in the apertures located on a second side of the second housing when the at least one cover of the second housing is coupled to the second housing, 
 a plurality of covers for covering at least one open area of the second housing, wherein the plurality of covers for covering at least one open area of the second housing are attached to the second housing by a flexible plastic hinge, 
 wherein the first housing is coupled to the second housing, 
 wherein the number of areas for receiving the first plurality of wires is equal to the number of areas for receiving the second plurality of wires, 
 wherein the size of the first and second housings are chosen so that the insulation displacement contact connector is securely retained when inserted into a standard electrical raceway, and 
 wherein the insulation displacement contacts are staggered in relation to a side of the first or second housings not having apertures, and 
 wherein the tabs are composed of plastic, 
 wherein tabs are crushed by the first plurality of wires located in the apertures located on a second side of the second housing when the at least one cover of the second housing is coupled to the second housing.